Update on GlobalFlyer
Posted By RichC on February 10, 2006
UPDATE: A quote directly from mission control – 1:14UTC Feb 10th (8:14 p.m. EST on Feb 9th) “Halfway point reached: Hurrah!”
Problems: The initial problem was on takeoff according to Mission Control — the GlobalFlyer lost 750lbs of fuel leaving the Kennedy Space Center. According to calculations, the final let to Kent Airport in England will leave little room for error. If the winds over the Pacific continue they will help significantly, but concern is for the weak winds over the Atlantic. If things continue as calculated, Steve Fossett should land with 500 to 1000-lbs of fuel left.
The second problem was with a malfunction of the ventilation cooling system as the tempertures rose to 130F in the cockpit as the engine worked to get the fuel laddened plane to higher altitudes. Now that the plane is lighter and higher altitudes have been reached, the engine no longer has to work as hard and temperatures are a comfortable 60F degrees.
Jon Karkow said: “The winds over the Atlantic will be crucial and the team at Mission Control is working round the clock analysing the movements of the jet streams. Steve will continue to search out the best winds; even the smallest increase in speed will bring the Record closer.”
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